PRIME Minister Raila Odinga’s wife, Ida, wants extra security for her husband after ODM party whip Jakoyo Midiwo claimed over the weekend that there is a plot to assassinate him. Yesterday Ida stated that the government should act with speed to protect her husband and should not ignore the claims. She was at the Constituency Development Fund offices in Bomet with the local MP Beatrice Kones.
Ida who urged the government to get to the bottom of the claims to avert panic among Kenyans, stated that the role of government was to ensure security for all Kenyans. “Those are just allegations, but the government should not ignore them. Investigate and find the truth on the claims,” said Mrs. Odinga. On Saturday, at the funeral service of Dr Gondi in Bondo, Jakoyo shocked Kenyans with claims that Cabinet minister Sam Ongeri is among those who want to assasinate Raila. Ongeri has since denied that he was part of any plot and has threatened to sue Jakoyo. Raila has played down the claims and appealed for calm.
Raila is always accompanied by a security detail of at least eight GSU officers led by a Chief Inspector. There are additional police at his homes in Bondo and Nairobi. “The alarm raised by Jakoyo Midiwo should not be taken for granted and as we speak the government should beef up security for the Prime Minister,” said Kones.
Ida Odinga called on Kenyans not to panic saying the government was already handling the matter and they will know the truth. Director of Public Prosecutions Tobiko Keriako has ordered the police to investigate everyone mentioned in alleged plot including Midiwo. Yesterday, Midiwo was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department. On Sunday he had appeared before Bondo Police station and was released. He was questioned for over two hours by CID head of Investigations Mohammed Amin.
Yesterday outside CID headquarters Midiwo said that he had not linked Ongeri with the assassination claims but had "only asked the Foreign affairs Minister to clarify some information". He did not reveal what he wanted Prof Ongeri to clarify. Midiwo said Prof Ongeri had invited himself to the assassination debate because he did not link him with the assassination. "I will see him in court" Jakoyo said when asked about threats by Prof Ongeri to sue for defamation. "This is not an idle allegation. This is a serious allegation. We want this investigated. This country has a bad history of political assassinations and we cannot take lightly an issue involving the life of our party leader. As a party we are determined to ensure we get to the root cause,'' said Budalangi Mp Ababu Namwamba who accompanied Midiwo to CID.
A senior police officer confidentially told the Star that investigators had only received a few titbits of information from Midiwo who did not mention anyone by name in connection with the assassination claims. The detective said Midiwo also did not reveal the source of his information. Midiwo was also accompanied by ministers James Orengo and Anyang Nyong'o and MPs Millie Odhiambo, Rachel Shebesh, Olago Oluoch, John Mbadi and Anyanga Omondi. Orengo said Midiwo was not a suspect and that he only volunteered information to the police.
Yesterday the National Cohesion and Integration Commission warned of rising tension as a result of Midiwo's allegations. “NCIC has received credible reports regarding tensions mounting between the Luo and Kisii communities following the statement made by the MP,” Kibunjia said in a statement at a press conference in their offices in Nairobi. The commission have warned Jakoyo not to make any more inflammatory statements for the next one year..
Kibunjia said that Jakoyo should have reported the matter to the police for investigations instead of announcing it at a funeral service. "We have therefore issued a cessation notice to Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo requiring him to keep the peace and watch use of language that is likely to inflame communal tension. NCIC has also alerted the police to watch out for further utterances on the matter that would further serve to interfere with the cohesion of this country,” said Kibunjia.
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